New research project in Duisburg: Focus on addictive behavior on the Internet!

New research project in Duisburg: Focus on addictive behavior on the Internet!

The research group 2974 under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Matthias Brand at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) launched the call on March 26, 2025 to look for new test subjects for their extensive study. Since 2020, this research has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and particularly looks at the psychological and neurobiological processes behind addictive behavior. The study includes ten new sub-projects that deal with topics such as excessive computer gaming, pornography, uncontrolled online shopping and intensive use of social networks.

Over 1,000 participants at various locations, including Duisburg, are to be integrated into the study. Test subjects are invited to complete various experimental and neuropsychological tasks, answer questions about their usage behavior, mood and feelings of stress, and carry out follow-up surveys. Dr. Silke Müller explained that Duisburg is involved in seven of the ten sub-projects, with particular attention being paid to gender-specific aspects of internet use.

Research on addictive behavior

The research group not only deals with the mechanisms behind addiction, but also examines how gender-specific factors influence usage behavior. One sub-project focuses on women who regularly consume pornography or frequently play computer games. In order to identify the neural correlates of these behaviors, in addition to questionnaires, computer-based tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are used.

These novel research approaches are necessary because existing disorders such as “computer game addiction” and “pathological Internet use” are increasingly becoming the focus of science. The German Drug Commissioner has pointed out that excessive exposure to these media often leads to behavioral addictions. Those affected often feel restless or irritable when they do not have access to the Internet or computer games and neglect important life tasks.

Conditions of Participation

People between the ages of 18 and 65 who use the Internet intensively are wanted to take part in the study. The fee for participation is 12 euros per hour. Anyone interested is advised to contact the research group using a form or email. The project name “ACSID” (Affective and cognitive mechanisms of specific Internet-use disorders) was launched in 2020 and extended for another three years in 2024. This expansion brings additional financial resources of five million euros, which underlines the important contribution to research of the participating universities such as Bochum, Bamberg, Gießen, Mainz, Lübeck and the Hannover Medical School.

At least 1,000 test subjects are required to clarify the complex connections between addictive behavior and internet use. The extensive database created by this initiative is intended to help develop a better understanding of the effects of media addiction and improve possible offers of help.